As the Smithsonian Institution prepares to launch a nationwide search for a new leader, an unexpected question mark hangs over the position that’s long been considered a plum one in the worlds of art, ...

In Ken Burns’s newest documentary, the war for independence was also a civil war. Amid a bitter fight over history, its timing feels urgent. Critic’s Notebook In Ken Burns’s newest documentary, the ...

Image created by author using AI. Recently, I purchased a book by a popular Catholic author—a cleric not known for engaging in the so-called “culture wars.” Yet this author makes several observations ...

“Piss Christ” is a photograph of a crucifix immersed in a container of urine. Why would anyone make such a thing? The customary answer is that it’s social criticism—a commentary on the cheapening of ...

The Puy du Fou is one of France’s most visited theme parks. Its founder says it gives the French a “founding narrative,” but critics say it peddles “far-right propaganda.” A performance of the ...